Niche wedding services on the rise

Vintage wedding theme - Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie in The Good Shepherd

If their rising popularity over the past five years is anything to go by, these niche services could eventually become as common in the wedding planning process as choosing a wedding theme.

Jovita's Bridal: Top 5 - 'Niche Wedding Services'

1. Undercover photographers and videographers

'Hidden camera' videography and photography now wanted for the proposal

These services include photographers posing as guests to take candid shots at weddings, and 'private eye' styled photography and videography that documents the marriage proposal.

Recent findings published in Wedding Market News indicates that up to 74 percent of engaged and married women approve of "hidden, paparazzi-style photos taken at the moment of engagement" and that the proposal photo is the number one wedding-related 'missed photo'.

2. Weddings abroad

The lower costs of getting married abroad along with the chance to host a smaller, more intimate ceremony has lured many couples to take their weddings to more exotic locations.

In the UK alone there has been a 27 percent rise in marriages abroad since 2005, with couples slashing up to 70 percent off their wedding bill by taking their ceremony overseas.

According to a recent Reuters report, there were an estimated 266,000 UK weddings last year, and at least 18 percent of those weddings took place overseas at an average cost of 6,585 pounds (US$10,580), while the average British wedding costs just under 20,000 pounds.

The report also stated that the "desire for a honeymoon abroad has also risen significantly in the last two years", with up to 70 percent of couples wanting an overseas honeymoon in 2010, rising from 57 percent in 2008.


3. Coloured wedding shoes

Contrasting bridal wear with brightly coloured shoes has been a growing trend for many brides and bridesmaids over the last 3 years at the very least.

In the past, many brides had to dye their own shoes as coloured bridal shoes were not yet readily available. Now many stores all over the world are stocking bridal shoes in assorted colours to keep up with this latest trend.


4. Online bridal and formal wear coupons

Online coupons have now taken the US and Australia by storm with discounts of up to 90 percent being offered through sites like Groupon, Spreets, Cudo and Living Social.

Many bridal and formal wear stores including David's Bridal and The Knot are jumping on board the online coupon bandwagon by offering their own promotional codes and coupons for discounts in their online stores.


5. Same sex marriage services



The ongoing campaign for same sex marriage has been making a lot of headway over the past few years.  Around 10 countries and jurisdictions have already legalized same sex marriage, and in Australia the campaign for same sex marriage rights still continues today.

Some recent developments for the same sex marriage campaign in Australia include the new Get Up! TV ad (in the video above) launched on Valentine's Day, and Australian representative of the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal George Pell, agreeing to meet with same sex marriage campaigners to discuss the issue despite having condemned same sex marriages in the past.

Regardless of all the opposition, same sex marriage services have become increasingly popular over the past decade, with many celebrants, wedding planners, photographers and other services now readily available for same sex couples all over the world.